How to Make a Window Warranty Claim That Gets Resolved

Most window problems in the first decade or two are fixable under one of the two warranties that came with the job. Claims go wrong for ordinary reasons: the homeowner calls the wrong party, cannot identify the window, or waits too long. This page, part of our California window guide, is the practical companion to window warranties explained.

Step 1: Work out whose problem it is

There are two warranties on an installed window, and the first job is to pick the right one.

Two of these catch people out. Condensation on the inside surface is excluded by the manufacturers whose documents we reviewed, because it comes from moisture in the house; how to fight condensation on the inside of windows explains what to do about it. And fog between the panes is a different thing entirely: see why windows fog between the panes to tell them apart.

If the installer is still in business, start there for almost everything. A good installer will diagnose the cause, handle a manufacturer claim on your behalf, and knows the manufacturer's service process. Anlin's warranty, for example, tells owners to notify the contractor that installed the product or to contact Anlin directly.

Step 2: Identify the window

The manufacturer needs to find your window in its system. That means an order or serial number, and it is usually on the window itself.

• Between the panes. Look at the spacer, the strip that separates the two panes around the edge of the glass, and at the corners of the glass. Milgard says its sales order number is located in the upper right or left corner between the panes of glass: a five- to eight-digit number followed by a decimal point and a three-digit line number.
• Etched in the glass. Andersen asks claimants for the glass logo information etched in the inside corner of the glass.
• On a frame label. Anlin says all its products carry a label with the order number and line number, with the location depending on the window or door type, and it publishes a guide to finding it.
• On the tempered glass stamp. Safety glass carries a permanent mark in a corner. It identifies the glass fabricator and standard, not always the window maker, but it can help date the unit.

Write down the number for each affected window, and note which room and which opening it is. A flashlight held at a low angle and a phone camera make spacer printing much easier to read.

If you cannot find anything, the installer's records or your contract will have the order number, which is one reason to keep them.

Step 3: Gather the paperwork

Manufacturers ask for broadly the same things. Andersen's document lists them clearly:

• A description of the product: exterior color, unit type and size, and visible glass measurements.
• The glass logo or product label information.
• A description of the concern.
• Documentation of the purchase date, if available.
• Your name, the address where the product is installed, and phone numbers.

Milgard's asks for contact information, the order number, a description of each product and its condition, and photographs unless they are unobtainable. Anlin's newer document asks for the same.

Have these ready as well:

• Proof you are the original purchaser, if you are: the signed contract and paid invoice. This decides whether lifetime terms apply.
• Proof of any upgrade. Milgard's optional Full Lifetime upgrade applies only if it is reflected on the order documents.
• Transfer or registration confirmation, if you bought the house from the original owner.
• Photos: one of the whole window, one close-up of the problem, one of the number or label. For fogging, photograph it at the time of day when it is most visible.

Step 4: File promptly, in the right place

Do not sit on a problem. Milgard's current warranty and Anlin's newer document both ask owners to submit a claim within 30 days of discovering the condition, and every warranty requires the claim to be made inside the coverage period.

Where to file, according to each company's current documents:

• Milgard: its online service request page or 1-800-MILGARD (1-800-645-4273).
• Anlin: the installing contractor, or Anlin directly at (800) 899-4896 or by email to its service department.
• Andersen: the dealer who sold the product, or Andersen through the parts and service section of its website or 1-888-888-7020.
• Pella: through the support section of its website or the showroom or retailer that sold the product.
• Renewal by Andersen: the company directly, since it sold and installed the window.

Phone numbers change, so confirm them on the manufacturer's site. File online where you can, or follow a call with an email, so there is a dated record. Keep the claim or case number.

Step 5: Understand what the remedy is

A valid claim does not usually mean a new window. Read the remedy clause in your document; these are common terms.

• Repair or parts, at the manufacturer's option. A failed seal normally means a new glass unit fitted into the existing sash or frame, not a new frame.
• Parts may not match. Milgard's document says replacement parts may not be an aesthetic match to the original.
• The clock does not restart. A repair or replacement part is warranted for the remainder of the original term.
• Discontinued products. The manufacturer may substitute something it considers equal.
• Surrounding materials are not covered. Manufacturers do not pay to restore trim, paint, drywall, stucco or window coverings.
• Inspection fees. Andersen says it may charge an inspection fee when coverage is unclear, waived if the inspection finds a covered defect.

Step 6: Find out what labor is covered

The part may be free while the work is not. This varies more than anything else between manufacturers.

Access is your responsibility. Milgard's document requires the owner to provide reasonable access to both sides of the window at the owner's expense, including removing window coverings and alarm sensors, moving furniture, and supplying scaffolding or a lift for anything that cannot be reached with a 15-foot extension ladder. It also allows a return-visit fee if you miss a scheduled appointment.

When manufacturer labor is not covered, ask your installer what they charge to fit a warranty part, and whether their workmanship warranty covers it. Get that answer before you need it.

Typical reasons claims are denied

• It is an installation issue. Leaks at the perimeter, binding from a racked frame, missing flashing.
• It is condensation, not seal failure.
• The window was modified. After-market film or tint, field-applied paint, drilled-in alarm contacts, non-original hardware.
• Accidental or external damage. Impact, settlement of the building, earthquake, fire, vandalism.
• Normal weathering. Gradual fading or chalking of a finish, tarnish on hardware.
• Environment. Salt-air corrosion, particularly of hardware near the coast.
• Cleaning damage. Razor blades, abrasives, solvents, pressure washers.
• Out of term, or the wrong owner. The coverage period for that part has ended, or lifetime terms ended when the house changed hands.
• Glass imperfections within industry tolerance. Minor scratches or distortion that meet the glass quality standards the warranty cites.

If you think a denial is wrong, ask for the specific clause relied on, reply in writing with your evidence, and ask for the claim to be reviewed. Check the dispute-resolution section of your warranty, since some require arbitration. If the underlying problem is workmanship by a licensed California contractor, the Contractors State License Board accepts complaints, generally within four years of the work; it can investigate and discipline a license but does not award compensation.

If you are not the original owner

Find the manufacture date and order number, then ask the manufacturer which terms apply to a subsequent owner. From current documents:

• Milgard's standard warranty transfers, with later owners covered for 10 years from manufacture.
• Andersen's fixed terms transfer for the remainder of the period.
• Anlin's Double Lifetime transfers once, to an owner-occupant, if Anlin was notified within 90 days of the sale.
• Pella's glass coverage and 10-year terms transfer; its lifetime coverage does not.

If you are buying or selling a house, handle the transfer at closing. Our sibling guide on replacing windows before selling covers what to hand over.

Records to keep

Put these in one folder, paper or digital, and leave a copy with the house when you sell.

• The signed contract, change orders and paid invoices.
• The manufacturer's warranty document that was current when you bought, and the installer's workmanship warranty.
• Order confirmation showing the product line, glass package and any warranty upgrade.
• The order or serial number for each window, with a simple map of which opening is which.
• Warranty registration confirmation.
• The NFRC label information; peel one label and keep it, or photograph them all before they are removed. See how to read an NFRC label.
• The finalized building permit. See permits for retrofit windows in California.
• Dated photos of the finished installation.
• A log of any service calls and claim numbers.
• Maintenance notes. Our sibling window maintenance guide lists what manufacturers expect.

When the warranty has run out

An expired warranty does not mean a new window. A fogged glass unit, a broken balance or worn rollers can often be replaced on their own, and manufacturers and dealers sell parts for out-of-warranty products. Our sibling guides on glass-only replacement versus a new window and common window repairs cover when repair makes sense, and when it is time to replace windows covers when it does not.

Sources

• Milgard replacement product lifetime limited warranty (claims, labor and access terms)
• Milgard full lifetime warranty upgrade
• Milgard: frequently asked questions (locating the sales order number, registration, subsequent owners)
• Anlin limited double lifetime warranty booklet
• Anlin 100 line lifetime limited warranty
• Anlin: frequently asked questions (order number label, transfers)
• Andersen 400 Series / 200 Series limited warranty (claim procedure)
• Pella vinyl window and patio door limited warranty
• Pella: warranties and support
• Renewal by Andersen: homeowner warranty
• California Business and Professions Code section 7091 (time limits for complaints against contractors)
• Contractors State License Board: filing a complaint

Working with Heritage Exteriors

For windows we installed, call us first: we will diagnose whether it is a product or an installation matter and start the manufacturer claim where one applies. If someone else installed your windows and you cannot reach them, we can inspect, identify the manufacturer and tell you whether a claim, a repair or a replacement is the sensible route. Licensed in California, CSLB #1055919. Call (916) 546-2991.